A homicide detective goes undercover as a patient to investigate a psychotherapist he believes is linked to a strange double murder. As his therapy sessions continue the line between fantasy and reality begins to blur.
Credited cast: | |||
Tom Meeten | ... | Chris | |
Alice Lowe | ... | Kathleen | |
Rufus Jones | ... | Coulson | |
Niamh Cusack | ... | Fisher | |
Geoffrey McGivern | ... | Morland | |
Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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James Eyres | ... | Drez (as James Eyres Kenward) |
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Olivia Greene | ... | Other Woman |
Paul Kaye | ... | Tommy Parnell | |
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Sean Reynard | ... | Party Guest |
Waen Shepherd | ... | Gav | |
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Dan Renton Skinner | ... | Jim (as Dan Skinner) |
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Rachel Stubbings | ... | Maria |
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Joshua Topp | ... | Danny |
A homicide detective goes undercover as a patient to investigate a psychotherapist he believes is linked to a strange double murder. As his therapy sessions continue the line between fantasy and reality begins to blur.
I 'get' what this film tries to do, I just don't like it. Someone was quoted as saying it could stand alongside David Lynch's 'Lost Highway', but I disagree. The term 'Lovecraftian' has been used many times in recent years to describe many films, but few truly are. 'The Ghoul' is most definitely Lovecraftian, and it has some excellent aspects; the acting is solid, as is the cinematography. The story leaves a lot to be desired however, and as I mentioned, I 'get' it, but I don't like it.
This film is disjointed and awkward in its flow, which was likely intentional, however it doesn't serve the film. In the end it left much to be desired. In the beginning you're loving it, in the middle you're excited to see where it's going, but by the last bit you're saying, "This can't really be it, can it?!" All in all, this film absolutely has the feel and look of a Lynch-made masterpiece, but almost none of the substance and (dare I say) the dazzle of one such as 'Lost Highway' - to which it's been compared.
On the one hand, I loved (really loved) how it portrays a depressed man in such a gritty and realistic way. But on the other hand, it felt lacking and failed to climax into anything that's anywhere near greatness. Not a complete waste of time, and it may very well be enjoyed by some, but for me this fell far short of my initial expectations which the opening scenes gave rise to - 6 out of 10.